Receiving scholarship with fellow recipients from Walt Disney and Gail Storm, 1966

        "What I Am" Oil 24x36

Liana Bennett  Owner

IN A NUTSHELL - Born in 1948 in North Wales, my family moved to Canada, then on to LA in 1954. As a kid I drew all the time and not much else. Clayton Williams was an amazing art teacher that I was privileged to be mentored by him throughout my high school years. I won a scholarship to Art Center School while still in high school and to Chouinard (now CalArts) after school. I started working as an artist at the age of 19 in various studios doing "whatever" to earn a living. Started teaching at 27 and still teaching today. Moved to Seattle in 1983 and opened Arts Umbrella Art Center in 1984. I wanted a place that young artists could be with their peers and practice their art. I would have loved a place like Arts Umbrella when I was kid! We also have classes and workshops for adults. The students journey through art brings me incredible joy.

I paint in acrylics, oils and mixed media. The figure challenges me to this day, and it will always be the subject that I am pulled to. I need to feel a connection to whatever I paint, places I've been, people I know. Abstracts and abstraction is another area I love to explore.

Been in galleries, won some awards, juried some shows and been in some books, but mostly just trudged along trying to reach that next elusive level of competence in my art. The WHOLE art world amazes me, all of it, Sargent to Rothko. Better than cake!

         That's it!                                                 lianabennett.com
        LIANA                                         [email protected]